2014 J-C Ramonet C-M 1er Cru Clos du Cailleret

With some Seared Hokkaido Scallops night before last: 2014 Domaine Jean-Claude Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos du Cailleret Monopole (Endika’s bottle) - Buxom, stylish, richly/deeply fruited, leesy/vanilla bean, pastry/marzipan & butter nuanced. Opulent mouthfeel, with good heft & length. Still young; but seems to me this can age well & gain a lot more complexity in, say, another 10-15 years. That said, it’s undoubtedly enjoyable to drink now.

I love Ramonet’s wines, but the 2014s I have had from him are esp. fabulous.

As far as I can recall offhand, this is by far the youngest Ramonet I’ve had. I wasn’t expecting that much; but, well, let’s just say I was impressed, and asked the fellow who brought it if he’d be willing to sell some of his other bottles (the wife loves this kind of white). He said yes. Hope the price will be reasonable…

Based on the lower appellation wines, 2017 is also looking like a terrific success chez Ramonet. Will be tasting the range later this year and can’t wait.

don’t fan the flames, William! Pricing is already stratospheric. This Clos du Cailleret is a fairly recent offering. I’ve posted on it also—and loved it.

Yeah, getting expensive, though price increases are not really coming from the Domaine…

I’m collecting the old reds, personally. Drank '71 CSJ and Clos de la Boudriotte this year, and picked up a '61 of the former and a '69 of the latter. Not expensive when one finds them and old Pierre Ramonet knew how to vinify red wine, that’s for sure.

I drank a brilliant bottle of the 2014 Ramonet CM Ruchottes last night at Vantre, the amazing light touch with serious depth on the 2014 whites really is magical,
filled my bags with 2014’s from Bernard Bonin, Lafon Charmes and Henri Germain Charmes for a warm week ahead in Beaune
MT

Me too where I can. I’m guessing you are going to have a lot more luck finding Pierre’s wines from your Burg base than we are in the US. We may have to “settle” for Andre (and Jean-Claude). (Was the transition to Andre in the late 60s/early 70s? Or am I misrembering?)

André co-managed the estate between 1948 and 1990, so he retired before his father died in 1994. It is not clear that his father ever “retired” in any sense until his death, as I understand it! I’m not sure there is an obvious transition in eras chez Ramonet, more of an evolution.

Thanks. I didn’t know André started that early, or that Pierre never entirely stepped back given my understanding / the Conventional Wisdom AFAIK that André was a very talented winemaker.

Must be something in the air! I brought a bottle of the 2014 Ramonet Ruchottes to a dinner on Friday night and I agree with your assessment. Lots of potential ahead but already quite wonderful to drink

I opened a 2006 Ramonet Les Ruchottes (among others) during my wife’s birthday dinner less than a year ago (with the spaghetti alle vongole course) and it was delicious.

They made a special cuvée of the 2006 Ruchottes to celebrate 100 years since Pierre Ramonet’s birth, but just for the family—it has never been sold. Though 2006 is not a vintage I generally seek out, it’s one wine I would really love to taste.

I spent a little over a week in the Côte du Beaune in mid July ‘06. I recall it was blisteringly hot (and I’m used to Philippine heat). The subject ‘06 Les Ruchottes was delicious less than a year ago; but I must say that it struck me as more mature than such a wine would be at a little less than 12 years old. Bought it (and several more) from Ginsberg & Chan in HK.

I love the Montrachet purchase story recounted in Remington Norman’s book, though the veracity has been questioned by other sources. Père Ramonet showed up at his lawyer’s office to buy the sliver of Montrachet, fresh from the fields, wearing overalls, French francs in every pocket and crevice, as he pulled out crumpled bills to total the entire purchase. Makes a nice story.

Thanks for the tidbit William

I find it interesting that they didn’t pick from their Grand Cru holdings to make their special cuvee. Do you suppose they esteem their Ruchottes as highly as their GCs, or is it just a question of production volume/value?

Ruchottes was the first parcel that Pierre Ramonet purchased to establish the domaine, and he cleared it of trees and scrub by hand, so it has special significance for the domaine!

Also the source of the first domaine-bottled white Burgundy to be exported to the USA.

In fact, however, it isn’t true, and apparently once it started circulating it resulted in the domaine being audited by the French tax authorities!

Since we’re on the subject of Ramonet, if you haven’t seen it, this is worth a read: THE MASTER OF MONTRACHET « Oeno-File, the Wine & Gastronomy Column

Though it perpetuates the cash-purchase story, and (I think) mis-dates (as do most sources) the purchase of Ramonet’s parcel of Ruchottes to 1934, when it was actually quite a bit earlier - it was the 1934 Ruchottes that Schoonmaker imported to the USA. Pretty sure Ramonet actually acquired his parcel of Ruchottes around 1926 or so. But it is a great portrait with some interesting insights.

thanks, William, good read.

Thanks for that article link, William!

What great wines they were drinking. Including 81s and 82s out of barrel. That must have been something to shoot the shit solo with Pierre Ramonet while drinking Mecca wines.